It cannot be denied that Malta, like many other European states, has a binge drinking mentality, and this is unfortunately prevalent in teenagers.

Binge drinking is a dangerous thing. It can lead to alcohol poisoning and other liver-related ailments, as well as other injuries that can be sustained while in a state of severe inebriation.

It is a fact that many youngsters abstain from consuming alcohol during the week and unfortunately consume huge amounts of alcohol on the weekends or during holidays.

It is positive to note that the Sense Group has decided to stop sponsoring open-bar parties, where one pays an entry fee and is then allowed to drink as much as they like for the remainder of the night. But this is not enough to address the problem.

One of the prevailing habits among youngsters is to buy cheap bottles of spirits (often of inferior quality) and drink them in the street corners of Paceville. Make no mistake, this does happen. A walk through Malta’s nightlife Mecca will inevitably show you this. Not only can kids, some of them not yet in their teens, be seen staggering about with their bottles of booze, but you can literally see loads of them hunched over doorways, suffering from various stages of nausea.

The primary source for this alcohol they procure are the various “off licences” that have sprouted up in Paceville selling snacks, cigarettes, and most importantly – alcohol.

What is clear is that a much larger police force needs to be put into action. One understands that they have limited resources, but patrols in the areas where alcohol is sold to minors will have a deterrent effect.

It is also important for laws to be enforced. It is useless to have patrols out if they do not take action when they see groups of drunk underage youths.

Parliament is currently discussing the introduction of an amendment to the bill which regulates such laws (see page 11), but we reiterate that this is simply not enough. Malta has had its fair share of instances where laws are passed and yet not enforced.

But apart from the law-breaking side of it, there are plenty of legal age adults who consume alcohol in vast amounts over the weekends. Again, the principle of buying bottles of alcohol for fixed prices holds true. Many of these proceed to drive home, dangerously, in an intoxicated state.

But what can be done? What we need, first of all, is more awareness. What we have not yet cottoned onto in this country is that shock tactics work. The effects of various television spots and billboards have had their effect in shocking people into sense in relation to various issues.

Perhaps the government should be looking into allocating more funds to Sedqa to mount such a campaign.

Also, one needs to look at parental discipline, especially among the younger teenagers who get caught up in this spiral.

Some politicians have said that certain “panic” measures could cause children to drink underground. But this is what they already do, apart from doing it out in the open. One of the main issues at stake here is enforcement – making sure that shop owners do not sell alcohol to underage children.

If the law comes down hard enough on them, it will be an example to others and will discourage them from selling, if not targeting, younger kids.